Watch the video just above :-)
In this episode of Coherent, Melanie Nelson speaks with former Prime Minister and constitutional law expert Sir Geoffrey Palmer about the Regulatory Standards Bill — which he describes as one of the most dangerous and constitutionally incoherent pieces of legislation he’s encountered in his long career.
Sir Geoffrey warns that the Bill would install an unelected oversight board with sweeping powers, reduce ministers to bystanders in their own portfolios, and introduce regulatory principles that are legally unenforceable but politically weaponised. He argues the Bill would produce “regulatory chaos,” subvert ministerial responsibility, and undermine the principle that elected representatives — not economists — are responsible for making law.
We cover:
Why Clause 24 creates a legal fiction that bypasses the courts
How the Bill concentrates power in a “super-minister” while silencing other ministers
The risks to public safety and the environment from an ideologically tilted “property rights” regime
What’s missing from the Bill’s design — including any reference to the Regulations Review Committee
How the Bill reflects a global trend toward authoritarian capitalism — and why it must be stopped
Palmer makes the case that the RSB is not just a policy error, but a democratic and constitutional crisis in the making. His call is clear: submit, speak up, and stop this Bill while we still can.
Video episode above! Listen to the audio here on Substack, or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms (once uploaded).
Resources:
Sector Specific RSB Tool: https://tinyurl.com/RSBTool
Linktree with a wide range of historic and contemporary information on the RSB, including submission guides and builders.
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